Dredging apparatus.



THOMAS it. GO'lI-I, `Olp SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

e DREDGING APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application lerl February 5, 1906. Serial No. 299,599.

To all 11i/zout it muy concern.'

Ilo it known that I, Tnouas It. Gorn, a citizen of the United States,residing at San lh'ancisco, in the county of San l `runcisco and Stateof (,lalifornia, have invented cert-1in new and useful Improvements inDredging Apparatus, of which the following is a speciication.

This invention relates to the art of dredging and more particularly todredging for gold or other valuable material wherever found. l, employ arotary digger as an excavator, but in d stinction from the ordinarysocalled suction dredfrers. I use a powerful stream of water having aninje tive action .for delivering the material through und from thedredging tube or pipo. I use a rotary snail-shaped cutter whichexcavatcs the material in con'ilrination with a hydraulic giant whichelevates such material, and forces it through a discharge pipe to properwashing and separating apparatus. rlhere are many advantages pertainingto my construction, many of which are hereinafter stated; and theseadvantages result whether my dredger be compared with the ordinaryso-callcd suction or hydraulic dredge, or with the chain bucket (,lredgecommonly used in dredging for gold.

An embodiun-nt of my invention will be found in the accompanyingdrawings in connection with which this descriptr n should be read, andin which Figure l is a sectional elevation of the entire machine, Fig. 2is a plan view with certain parts in horizontal section, lig, 3 isa planview of the digging head, Fig. i shows a modified arrangement fordriving a rot-.l ry (ligging head with a stationary inlet pipe.

At Ai is shown a suitable hull or scow for sustaining the dredging andwashing machinery. At 2 is a rc` volving pipe sujmorted on rollers 3journaled in the truss frame or ladder 4, which projects from the bow ofthe hull, said bow being open in pontoon fashion, so as to permit theconvenient raising and lowering of the rotary pipe. `id pipe is rotatedby gears 5 and (i which are connected into a system of gearing to behereinafter described. Vlhe truss Vframe is supported from above in anysuitable manner, and has proper tackle connected to the hoist orwindlass 7.

On the lower end of the rotary pipe is the excavating head 8. This h( adis secured rigidly to the pipe 2 and revolves with it. "lhis head is ofsnail shape and has a single projecting cutter S), and a single interiorcurved vane ll, which as the material. is cut forces it to the center ofthe digging head and up the rota-ry pipe. rl`he rotary pipe, at itsupper end has an air tight bearing l2, in the elbow Iii, and in orderthat the excavator can be adjusted lo dig at any depth, such elbow isformed in two parts with a packed joint l-i between them. -rlhestatruiary part 13 of the elbow is connected to a discharge pipe l5.

The material is forced into and through the elbow and discharge pipe bythc powerful hydraulic giant 16 within the branch pipe o1' casing 17which has a bearing upon it, and supplied by the centrifugal pump 1S.The rotary pipe, the movable part of the elbow and the branch pipe I7form practically a T-shaped adjustable hydraulic mechanism, all ol whichswing together as upon a hinge joint or trunnions when the digger isadjusted to cut at any angle of depth or of elevation.

A system of gearing for driving all parts of the machinery is shown inthe drawing and although susceptible of modification, it is what Iprefer to use, because in a simple way, it permits the adjustmentsrequired in effective dredging Without becoming deranged. I have shownas the primary power a motor 19, from which shaft a belt 20 drives ashaft 2l. A belt 22 from shaft 2l drives thc centrifugal pump I8.Another belt 23 from Ashaft 21 drives the shaft 24 which carries themiter gear 25. `Loose on the pipe or casing which surrounds thehydraulic giant is an intermediate gear 2G engaging with miter gear 25and also with mi ter gear 27 on the shai t 28 which carries the spurgear 5 which as previously stated transmits the rotary motion to thepipe 2. The intermediate gear being loose on the pipe casing transmitspower freely, no

matter what the adjustment of said casing, elbow, and

rotary pipe may be.

The material forced into and through the discharge pipe 15 is deliveredinto a revolving drum 29 having numerous perforations as shown. The drumis mounted on a shaft 3]. and is driven by a sprocket connection fromthe shaft 2l. Coarse material too large to pass the perforations in thedrum is discharged upon the chute 32. Fine material, that is sand andsmall gravel in which all the gold is contained pass through theperforations upon the rif'llod surface 33. There may be a series ofthese riHed surfaces ii desired, and they may be provided with any ofthe well known gold saving means such as amalgamated plates. The waterwhich passes through the perfor-ations in the drum is used upon therifiles for washing and separating purposes.

The sand and Water on leaving the rifi'les discharge into a sump 3ftWhere the sand settles to the bottom and is removed and discharged bythe chain of buckets 35 which is driven by bevel gearing 36 from thedrum shaft and sprocket gearing 30, as best shown in Fig. 2. The watercollects naturally in the sump and overflows at its edge. l

At 37 is a gate valve which can be used to close the discharge pipe, sothat if the rotary pipe should become clogged, all the power of thegiant can be directed backwardly to Wash it clear.

This machine should be clearly distinguished from the ordinary so-calledsuction or hydraulic dredge. The latter is not successful in raisingcoarse gold, because it depends entirely upon the action of thecentrifugal suction pump to raise all the material excavated by thecutter. Gold having about eight times the specific gravity of thematerial with which it is associated, the pump suction naturally drawsthe sand and gravel from underneath, allowing the gold itself to settleaway from the entrance and be lost.

With the present invention the rotary shovel or head scoops up gold,sand, gravel rock, etc., as it revolves and deposits all such materialmechanically within the rotary pipe, in which it is easily elevated bythe hydraulic giant, and is afterward thoroughly washed and separated.The point of the shovel or digger is preferably made triangular so thatany rock too large to be received by the single opening is forced to theedge and out of the way. lts motion through the ground also loosens anyadherent particles of gold which are then scooped up, or sucked up bythe action of the hydraulic giant.

It will be noted that the coarse material is delivered from the screenor drum at the rear and falls by gravity to the bottom of the hole inwhich the dredger is at work, while the sand and earth being elevated toa higher point falls upon and above such rock. rlhis requires no morepower and leaves the country in condition for agricultural opera-tionagain, while the bucket drcdger leaves the country around it a barrenrock pile.

The material is more thoroughly broken up in its passage by the giantelevator, than can possibly be the case with a chain of buckets. Thisresults in easier, quicker and better washing and separation.

As the inlet pipe revolves, the material cannot settle in the bottom andclog the opening, but is continually rolled over and over and ground upand separated by its own impact and that of the large stones or boulderswhich form a portion of it.

Other advantages might be enumerated, but it is believed that in view ofthe foregoing description they will be apparent to those skilled in theart.

I do not limit myself to the precise features of constructionhereinbefore described and shown in the ac companying drawings, as Idesire to avail myself of such `modifications and equivalents as fallproperly within the spirit of my invention. For instance as shown inFig. 4 the digging head might be connected to a station ary suction pipeand rotated by a sprocket chain, or in any equivalent way; but l preferto use th o rotary suction pipe.

Having thus described my invention what l claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is1- l. In a dredger, a rotary snail-shellshaped digger or excavator.

2. In a dredger, a rotary snailshell shaped digger or excavator' havinga single projecting cutting edge, and a singie inlet opening.

3. In a dredger, a rotary snail-shell shaped digger in combination witha rotary pipe to which said digger is rig idly secured.

4. In a dredger, a rotary snail-shell shaped digger having a singleinlet opening in combination with a rotary pipe to which said digger isrigidly secured.

In a drcdger, a submerged or partially submerged pipe, and a rotarysnail-shell shaped digger at the oxtrem ity or' said pipe, said diggerhaving a single cutting odge and a single inlet openingl in itsperiphery.

G. ln a dredger, a submerged or partially submerged rotary pipe havingat its extremity a snaibshaped rotary digger.

7. In a dredger, a submerged or partially submerged ro tary pipe havingat its extremity a snail-shaped rotary scemi digger, said digger havinga single projecting cutting edge, and a single inl opening.

S. In a dredgor, a substantially T shaped hydraulic connection, meansfor receivingspoil through the stem of the T, and a discharge passagefor such spoil in one arm of the T.

l). ln a dredger, a substantially hinged T-shapod hydrauiic connection,means for receiving spoil through the stem of the T, and a. dischargepassage l'or such spoil in one arm of the T.

10. ln a dredgor, a substantially T shaped hydraulic connection, arotary digger at the extremity of the stem thereof, and a dischargepassage through one arm of the T.

1l. ln a dredger a substantially T-shaped hydraulic connectioncomprising a rotary stem, arms connected thereto and hinged so as topermit the vertical adjustment ot' the stem, and :i rotary diggerrigidly secured to the cxtremity of said rotary stem.

12. ln a dredger, a substantially T-shapcd hydraulic connection, thestom wheroii' has moans for receiving spoil, a discharge passage in onearm o1' the T for the discharge of said spoil and a hydraulic giant' inthe other arm oif the T.

l). In a dredger, a substantially Tshaped hinged hydraulic connection,the stem whereof has means l'or receiving spoil, a discharge passage inone arm of the T for the discharge ot said spoil and a hydraulic giantin the other arm of the T.

14. ln a dredger, a substantially Tshaped hydraulic connectioncomprising a rotary stem, and two hinged arms connected thereto, arotary (ligger at the extremity of said rotary siem, and a hydraulicgiant in one arln of the T, whereby material excavated is drawn throughsaid rotary stem and is forced through the other arm of the T.

l5. lu a drcdger a substantially T-shapcd hydraulic connection havinghinge or trunnion bearings for its arms, a gear loose upon one of saidarms, driving and transmitting gears in engagement with said loose gear,power connections to the driving gear, a stem for the T adapted torotate, and means operated by the transmitting gear for rotating saidstem; the construction and arrangement being such that the whole Tconnection can swing upon its hinge or trunnion bearings withoutderanging or affecting the operation of said gearing.

1G. In a drcdger means for separating the boulders and large matter fromthe liner matter and for discharging the boulders by gravity to thebottom of the waterl hole, a setllii sump at the stern of the dredgerand below the level oi' said discharge, means for supplying tailings tosaid sump, and a chain ot' buckets or other suitable means for elevatingtailings from said sump above said discharge; whereby said tailings areldeposited in the water hole above the boulders.

lT. ln a drcdger iiaying .means for separating coarse from [ine materiala settling sump adapted to receive the tine tailings and a chain ofbuckets, or other suitable means for elevating said tailings from thesump and discharging thom i'rom a higher elevation than that at whichtho coarse waste material is discharged.

18. In a dredger in which material is drawn and forced through andbeyond an intake pipe by the action of a hydraulic giant, means iorfreeing the intake pipe comprising a valve located beyond the giant andadapted to close the discharge pa ge; whereby the stream from the giantis forced backwardly through the intake pipe.

10. In a dredgcr, a rotary excavator, a substantially T- shapedhydraulic connection whose hollow stom carries said excavator, ahydraulic giant forming a trunnion bearing for one arm of the T, and adischarge pipe forming a trunnion bearing for the other arm ol the T.whereby the whole Tshaped connection can swing upon said bearingswithout affecting the action o'l the said giant or the discharge ofmaterial through the other arm ol` ihe T and said discharge pipe.

In testimony whereof l have allixed my signature. in presence of twowitnesses, this 24th day of llanuary 1900.

, THOMAS R. GQ'lH,

Witnesses M. R. Sunni',

F. M. BAn'rnL.

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